If you’re old enough to remember the game show Press Your Luck, you probably remember contestants chanting, “Big bucks… no whammies!” as they tried to land on prize money without getting wiped out by the cartoon villain on the board.

That chant feels uncomfortably familiar in Wyoming politics right now.

This week, Bob is flying solo to talk about what some have dubbed “Check-Gate” — the controversy sparked when political donor Rebecca Bextel handed campaign contribution checks to House members on the Capitol floor during the 2026 session. It may have been technically legal, but the optics landed hard with a lot of Wyomingites. We’ll break down what happened, why it matters, why the media covered it the way it did, and what it says about the growing role of “big bucks” in our political and media ecosystems.

Because it’s not just politics. Media operates in the same climate. Advertising dollars. Sponsorships. Donations. Our own Unabridged Fund. The relationships are complicated, and they require transparency and trust if they’re going to work.

We’ll also revisit the defeat of Senate File 49 — Bob's year-long effort to strengthen Wyoming’s Public Records Act — which cleared committee 13–0 only to fail introduction on the Senate floor. You’ll hear the vote, and you’ll hear why the News Letter Journal is not done pushing for transparency.

And finally, a few updates from here at the News Letter Journal — including Alexis Barker stepping into the role of Editor-in-Chief and why we’re raising single-copy prices for the first time in nearly 20 years.

So buckle up. Spin the board. Big bucks. No whammies.

Here’s Episode 53.

Show Notes:

Check-Gate Stories: https://www.newslj.com/conservative-activist-bextel-hands-checks-lawmakers-wyoming-house-floor-controversy-erupts

https://www.newslj.com/governor-bans-campaign-contributions-state-buildings-response-wyoming-check-controversy

https://www.newslj.com/emotional-night-wyoming-house-speaker-neiman-tells-whole-story-check-controversy

Senate File 49 Information: https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2026/SF0049

Joint Corporations, Elections & Public Subdivisions Committee 2025 Interim Committee Public Records Discussions.

May 9, Beginning at 2:43:00 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhUOeB6zl_8&list=PLOhkcX5d91NrCzIsNxhmK3kWWCzgN1mKn&index=89

August 14 beginning at 3:10:41 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcLylXL1NsY&list=PLOhkcX5d91NrCzIsNxhmK3kWWCzgN1mKn&index=91

November 4 beginning at 1:45:47 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBMWuETGQqA&list=PLOhkcX5d91NrCzIsNxhmK3kWWCzgN1mKn&index=101

Donate to the Unabridged Fund: https://wyomingcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=6298

Check us out at newslj.com to keep tabs on this story, or for more news from Newcastle, Weston County and the Black Hills of northeast Wyoming!